Author
Victor Zaibert
Bio: Victor Zaibert is an academic researcher from Al-Farabi University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Domestication & Steppe. The author has an hindex of 5, co-authored 7 publications receiving 799 citations.
Topics: Domestication, Steppe, Population, Bronze Age, Ancient DNA
Papers
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TL;DR: Three independent lines of evidence demonstrating domestication in the Eneolithic Botai Culture of Kazakhstan, dating to about 3500 B.C.E. are presented.
Abstract: Horse domestication revolutionized transport, communications, and warfare in prehistory, yet the identification of early domestication processes has been problematic. Here, we present three independent lines of evidence demonstrating domestication in the Eneolithic Botai Culture of Kazakhstan, dating to about 3500 B.C.E. Metrical analysis of horse metacarpals shows that Botai horses resemble Bronze Age domestic horses rather than Paleolithic wild horses from the same region. Pathological characteristics indicate that some Botai horses were bridled, perhaps ridden. Organic residue analysis, using delta13C and deltaD values of fatty acids, reveals processing of mare's milk and carcass products in ceramics, indicating a developed domestic economy encompassing secondary products.
495 citations
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University of Copenhagen1, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute2, University of Cambridge3, Leiden University4, Harvard University5, Technical University of Denmark6, Al-Farabi University7, University of Chicago8, Karagandy State University9, University of Alaska Fairbanks10, Istanbul University11, Hazara University12, University of Gothenburg13, Russian Academy of Sciences14, Gazi University15, Islamia College University16, University of Exeter17, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa18, Irkutsk State University19, University of Alberta20, Paul Sabatier University21, University of California, Berkeley22
TL;DR: Analysis of ancient whole-genome sequences from across Inner Asia and Anatolia shows that the Botai people associated with the earliest horse husbandry derived from a hunter-gatherer population deeply diverged from the Yamnaya, and suggests distinct migrations bringing West Eurasian ancestry into South Asia before and after, but not at the time of, YamNaya culture.
Abstract: The Yamnaya expansions from the western steppe into Europe and Asia during the Early Bronze Age (~3000 BCE) are believed to have brought with them Indo-European languages and possibly horse husbandry. We analyze 74 ancient whole-genome sequences from across Inner Asia and Anatolia and show that the Botai people associated with the earliest horse husbandry derived from a hunter-gatherer population deeply diverged from the Yamnaya. Our results also suggest distinct migrations bringing West Eurasian ancestry into South Asia before and after but not at the time of Yamnaya culture. We find no evidence of steppe ancestry in Bronze Age Anatolia from when Indo-European languages are attested there. Thus, in contrast to Europe, Early Bronze Age Yamnaya-related migrations had limited direct genetic impact in Asia.
273 citations
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Paul Sabatier University1, University of Copenhagen2, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan3, University of Cambridge4, Stanford University5, King Saud University6, University of Barcelona7, Hartwick College8, McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research9, Deutsches Archäologisches Institut10, Autonomous University of Madrid11, University of Oslo12, National University of Mongolia13, University of Vienna14, University of Mainz15, Tarbiat Modares University16, Spanish National Research Council17, University of Lisbon18, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich19, University of Tehran20, Facultad de Filosofía y Letras21, Pablo de Olavide University22, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences23, Agricultural University of Iceland24, University of Potsdam25, Russian Academy of Sciences26, University of Gothenburg27, Pompeu Fabra University28, Samara State University29, Tallinn University30, Leibniz Association31, Humboldt University of Berlin32, ISCTE – University Institute of Lisbon33, University of Oxford34, Centre national de la recherche scientifique35, Istanbul University36, Tbilisi State University37, University of Bordeaux38, Indian Council of Agricultural Research39, University of Edinburgh40, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg41, University of California, Santa Cruz42, University of Kashan43, University of California, Irvine44, University of Nottingham45, University of Exeter46, Max Planck Society47, University of Zagreb48, Karagandy State University49, University of Southampton50, Al-Farabi University51, deCODE genetics52, Université Paris-Saclay53
TL;DR: This extensive dataset allows us to assess the modern legacy of past equestrian civilizations and finds that two extinct horse lineages existed during early domestication, and the development of modern breeding impacted genetic diversity more dramatically than the previous millennia of human management.
174 citations
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Max Planck Society1, Seoul National University2, Russian Academy of Sciences3, Al-Farabi University4, Sewanee: The University of the South5, University of Ostrava6, Xiamen University7, Kuban State Medical University8, Moscow State University9, Transbaikal State University10, Academy of Medical Sciences, United Kingdom11, Belgorod State University12, Nazarbayev University13, Armenian National Academy of Sciences14, University of Kharkiv15, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration16, University of Tartu17, University of Exeter18, Howard Hughes Medical Institute19, Harvard University20
TL;DR: Genome-wide data for 763 individuals from inner Eurasia reveal 3 admixture clines in present-day populations that mirror geography, illuminating the historic spread and mixture of peoples across the Eurasian steppe, taiga and tundra.
Abstract: The indigenous populations of inner Eurasia—a huge geographic region covering the central Eurasian steppe and the northern Eurasian taiga and tundra—harbour tremendous diversity in their genes, cultures and languages. In this study, we report novel genome-wide data for 763 individuals from Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Mongolia, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. We furthermore report additional damage-reduced genome-wide data of two previously published individuals from the Eneolithic Botai culture in Kazakhstan (~5,400 bp). We find that present-day inner Eurasian populations are structured into three distinct admixture clines stretching between various western and eastern Eurasian ancestries, mirroring geography. The Botai and more recent ancient genomes from Siberia show a decrease in contributions from so-called ‘ancient North Eurasian’ ancestry over time, which is detectable only in the northern-most ‘forest-tundra’ cline. The intermediate ‘steppe-forest’ cline descends from the Late Bronze Age steppe ancestries, while the ‘southern steppe’ cline further to the south shows a strong West/South Asian influence. Ancient genomes suggest a northward spread of the southern steppe cline in Central Asia during the first millennium bc. Finally, the genetic structure of Caucasus populations highlights a role of the Caucasus Mountains as a barrier to gene flow and suggests a post-Neolithic gene flow into North Caucasus populations from the steppe. Genome-wide data for 763 individuals from inner Eurasia reveal 3 admixture clines in present-day populations that mirror geography, illuminating the historic spread and mixture of peoples across the Eurasian steppe, taiga and tundra.
110 citations
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Max Planck Society1, University of Zurich2, University of Michigan3, Masaryk University4, University of Oxford5, American Museum of Natural History6, Hartwick College7, University of California, Santa Barbara8, Pennsylvania State University9, Russian Academy of Sciences10, Samara State University11, South Ural State University12, Al-Farabi University13, University of Exeter14, Harvard University15
TL;DR: This article used proteomic analysis of dental calculus from individuals from the western Eurasian steppe to demonstrate a major transition in dairying at the start of the Bronze Age, and found evidence for horse domestication by the third millennium bc.
Abstract: During the Early Bronze Age, populations of the western Eurasian steppe expanded across an immense area of northern Eurasia. Combined archaeological and genetic evidence supports widespread Early Bronze Age population movements out of the Pontic–Caspian steppe that resulted in gene flow across vast distances, linking populations of Yamnaya pastoralists in Scandinavia with pastoral populations (known as the Afanasievo) far to the east in the Altai Mountains1,2 and Mongolia3. Although some models hold that this expansion was the outcome of a newly mobile pastoral economy characterized by horse traction, bulk wagon transport4–6 and regular dietary dependence on meat and milk5, hard evidence for these economic features has not been found. Here we draw on proteomic analysis of dental calculus from individuals from the western Eurasian steppe to demonstrate a major transition in dairying at the start of the Bronze Age. The rapid onset of ubiquitous dairying at a point in time when steppe populations are known to have begun dispersing offers critical insight into a key catalyst of steppe mobility. The identification of horse milk proteins also indicates horse domestication by the Early Bronze Age, which provides support for its role in steppe dispersals. Our results point to a potential epicentre for horse domestication in the Pontic–Caspian steppe by the third millennium bc, and offer strong support for the notion that the novel exploitation of secondary animal products was a key driver of the expansions of Eurasian steppe pastoralists by the Early Bronze Age. Analysis of ancient proteins suggests that Early Bronze Age dairying and horse domestication catalysed eastern Yamnaya migrations.
32 citations
Cited by
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Durham University1, National Museum of Natural History2, University of Warwick3, New York University4, Uppsala University5, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences6, University College London7, University of Pittsburgh8, Australian National University9, University of Aberdeen10, Oklahoma State University–Stillwater11, University of Copenhagen12, Ohio State University13, University of Guelph14, Washington University in St. Louis15, University of Missouri16, University of California, Davis17, University of Granada18
TL;DR: It is argued that although recent progress has been impressive, the next decade will yield even more substantial insights not only into how domestication took place, but also when and where it did, and where and why it did not.
Abstract: It is difficult to overstate the cultural and biological impacts that the domestication of plants and animals has had on our species. Fundamental questions regarding where, when, and how many times domestication took place have been of primary interest within a wide range of academic disciplines. Within the last two decades, the advent of new archaeological and genetic techniques has revolutionized our understanding of the pattern and process of domestication and agricultural origins that led to our modern way of life. In the spring of 2011, 25 scholars with a central interest in domestication representing the fields of genetics, archaeobotany, zooarchaeology, geoarchaeology, and archaeology met at the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center to discuss recent domestication research progress and identify challenges for the future. In this introduction to the resulting Special Feature, we present the state of the art in the field by discussing what is known about the spatial and temporal patterns of domestication, and controversies surrounding the speed, intentionality, and evolutionary aspects of the domestication process. We then highlight three key challenges for future research. We conclude by arguing that although recent progress has been impressive, the next decade will yield even more substantial insights not only into how domestication took place, but also when and where it did, and where and why it did not.
555 citations
Harvard University1, Broad Institute2, University of Tübingen3, Max Planck Society4, University of Mainz5, University of Washington6, University of California, Berkeley7, Massachusetts Institute of Technology8, Stockholm University9, University of Adelaide10, The Heritage Foundation11, National Museum of Natural History12, University of Edinburgh13, Sultan Qaboos University14, University of Costa Rica15, University of Antioquia16, Rambam Health Care Campus17, University of Pécs18, Al Akhawayn University19, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart20, University of Oxford21, Belgorod State University22, University of Toronto23, University of Buenos Aires24, University of Bern25, Russian Academy of Sciences26, Paul Sabatier University27, North-Eastern Federal University28, University of Chicago29, University of Arizona30, Stony Brook University31, University of Bergen32, Illumina33, Sofia Medical University34, Bashkir State University35, University of Cambridge36, Vilnius University37, Estonian Biocentre38, University of Strasbourg39, University College London40, Amgen41, Gladstone Institutes42, University of Tartu43, University of Oulu44, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences45, University of Palermo46, University of Tarapacá47, University of Chile48, Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan49, Armenian National Academy of Sciences50, University of North Texas51, University of Santiago de Compostela52, University of Kharkiv53, Higher University of San Andrés54, Novosibirsk State University55, Leidos56, Lebanese American University57, University of Split58, University of Pennsylvania59, Banaras Hindu University60, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology61, Estonian Academy of Sciences62, Pompeu Fabra University63, Howard Hughes Medical Institute64
TL;DR: The authors showed that most present-day Europeans derive from at least three highly differentiated populations: west European hunter-gatherers, ancient north Eurasians related to Upper Palaeolithic Siberians, who contributed to both Europeans and Near Easterners; and early European farmers, who were mainly of Near Eastern origin but also harboured west European hunters-gatherer related ancestry.
Abstract: We sequenced the genomes of a ∼7,000-year-old farmer from Germany and eight ∼8,000-year-old hunter-gatherers from Luxembourg and Sweden. We analysed these and other ancient genomes with 2,345 contemporary humans to show that most present-day Europeans derive from at least three highly differentiated populations: west European hunter-gatherers, who contributed ancestry to all Europeans but not to Near Easterners; ancient north Eurasians related to Upper Palaeolithic Siberians, who contributed to both Europeans and Near Easterners; and early European farmers, who were mainly of Near Eastern origin but also harboured west European hunter-gatherer related ancestry. We model these populations' deep relationships and show that early European farmers had ∼44% ancestry from a 'basal Eurasian' population that split before the diversification of other non-African lineages.
442 citations
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Harvard University1, Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study2, Broad Institute3, University of California, Berkeley4, Howard Hughes Medical Institute5, Massachusetts Institute of Technology6, Sapienza University of Rome7, University of Padua8, Queen's University Belfast9, Russian Academy of Sciences10, Al-Farabi University11, University of Pennsylvania12, University College Dublin13, University of Vienna14, Pennsylvania State University15, Max Planck Society16, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology17, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany18, Emory University19, Centre national de la recherche scientifique20, Kyrgyz National University21, Altai State University22, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic23, University of Oxford24, South Ural State University25, Kemerovo State University26, University College London27, Northwest University (China)28, University of Pittsburgh29, Samara State University30, Chelyabinsk State University31, University of Bologna32, Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan33, University of Winnipeg34, Simon Fraser University35, National Museum of Natural History36, Tomsk State University37, Naturhistorisches Museum38, Národní muzeum39, Hazara University40, Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute41, Pompeu Fabra University42, Hartwick College43, University of California, Santa Barbara44, Washington University in St. Louis45
TL;DR: It is shown that Steppe ancestry then integrated further south in the first half of the second millennium BCE, contributing up to 30% of the ancestry of modern groups in South Asia, supporting the idea that the archaeologically documented dispersal of domesticates was accompanied by the spread of people from multiple centers of domestication.
Abstract: By sequencing 523 ancient humans, we show that the primary source of ancestry in modern South Asians is a prehistoric genetic gradient between people related to early hunter-gatherers of Iran and Southeast Asia. After the Indus Valley Civilization's decline, its people mixed with individuals in the southeast to form one of the two main ancestral populations of South Asia, whose direct descendants live in southern India. Simultaneously, they mixed with descendants of Steppe pastoralists who, starting around 4000 years ago, spread via Central Asia to form the other main ancestral population. The Steppe ancestry in South Asia has the same profile as that in Bronze Age Eastern Europe, tracking a movement of people that affected both regions and that likely spread the distinctive features shared between Indo-Iranian and Balto-Slavic languages.
354 citations
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a new archaeological synthesis concerning the earliest formation of mobile pastoralist economies across central Eurasia, arguing that Eurasian steppe pastoralism developed along distinct local trajectories in the western, central, and (south)eastern steppe, sparking the development of regional networks of interaction in the late fourth and third millennia BC.
Abstract: In this article I present a new archaeological synthesis concerning the earliest formation of mobile pastoralist economies across central Eurasia. I argue that Eurasian steppe pastoralism developed along distinct local trajectories in the western, central, and (south)eastern steppe, sparking the development of regional networks of interaction in the late fourth and third millennia BC. The “Inner Asian Mountain Corridor” exemplifies the relationship between such incipient regional networks and the process of economic change in the eastern steppe territory. The diverse regional innovations, technologies, and ideologies evident across Eurasia in the mid-third millennium BC are cast as the building blocks of a unique political economy shaped by “nonuniform” institutional alignments among steppe populations throughout the second millennium BC. This theoretical model illustrates how regional channels of interaction between distinct societies positioned Eurasian mobile pastoralists as key players in wide-scale i...
306 citations